Category: Movimiento

Is there somebody whispering in your ear?

he says that, generally, a musician on stage is not alone, that there are two people on the stage, one trying to perform a musical piece and somebody else who whispers in the musician’s ear: “you didn’t practice enough….do you know how many people play this piece better than you do?…….here comes the part that you messed up the last time…” and many other disruptive words.

When we practice Yoga on the mat, we may find disruptive voices emerging in our practice. For instance, we may hear our personal assistant who continually goes over a list of phone calls, appointments and pending tasks, or the cook absorbed in planning the meal we’ll have after practice, or the competitive coach urging us to outperform ourselves or the person next to us, or the image consultant striving to bring our attention to the style, color and appropriateness of other people’s attires.

This is the most important moment

In the video, Zander underscores the importance of being present when he says: “This is the moment, this is the most important moment, right now”. I wholeheartedly agree. Indeed, I feel that there are no other moments. We are here and now and we cannot be anywhere else.

Zander says that a total transformation takes place when we see that “we have been hiding, taking ourselves away, not taking risks by sitting in the back row of our lives”.

To me, the transformation Zander talks about is activated by being fully present. Immersing ourselves in the present moment makes us realize that all the voices that try to draw us away from this moment are keeping us from seeing clearly that every moment brings with it the knowledge and resources needed to respond in a life-affirming and most appropriate way to its specific questions and challenges. Thus, it is essential that we are attentive to this moment.

Befriend your body and mind

In my opinion, Yoga practice is an appointment we create with ourselves so that we can learn more about who we are. However, our minds and bodies, with ther inclination to follow habits, may sometimes be disruptive, bringing our attention away from the present moment. Although exerting control is one possible, but not very conducive, approach to focusing our attention, I prefer Vanda Scaravelli’s approach. Vanda Scaravelli wrote in Awakening the Spine, we must give our bodies: “clear directions dictated not by ambition, duties or reactions, but by precise and lucid perception of what we feel. If we are sensitive to the requests of the body, it will responde spontaneously in an unexpected, effortless way. We must create a relationship, make friends with our bodies as well as with our minds.”

Thus, instead of seeing our body and mind as potential obstacles that need to be controlled by force, we can choose to befriend our body and mind so that we can enlist their help to support our intention of learning and developing sensitivity. Paying full attention and being curious to learn is enough motivation to be fully present. As a result, our yoga practice helps us discover and integrate the myriad relationships between body, breath, mind and heart. When there is integration there is no room for distraction, there is only room for doing things for real. When this happens, even for just one second in one pose, the practice is transformative as we see the possibility of expanding this approach to everything we do. Consequently, everything we do becomes the best expression of who we are and, thereby, it will be unique, genuine, creative and innovative.

The next time you feel that there is a distracting presence sharing your mat, choose not to take a back seat in your practice and gently invite your mind and body to contribute that energy into the process of self-discovery. As we practice this more and more, we will become better at participating fully and actively in our Yoga practice and, perhaps, also in our lives.
Namaste

In Yoga classes it is common to hear “listen to the wisdom of your body” as an instruction. However, for a long time, when I heard those words in class it was unclear how the wisdom of the body was expressed or manifested. Inability to tune into the wisdom of our own bodies can, and often does, result in injury. Moreover, practicing Yoga from a competitive or ego driven mindset tends to override the immanent wisdom of the body forcing our bodies to move in opposition to life preserving and life protecting mechanisms. It is readily apparent that some innate intelligence orchestrates the myriad processes that make it possible for us to move, eat, sleep, heal, etc. The wisdom of the body consists of innumerable actions that move the body toward balance and well-being. In this post I try to illustrate the wisdom of the body in action.

In chapter 4 of Yoga: The spirit and practice of moving into stillness, Erich Schiffmann’s says that, just like the action of stretching and yawning in the morning, Yoga wakes you up by stretching and energizing you. As I thought about this idea, it occurred to me that the stretching that accompanies yawning in the morning is a perfect example of the wisdom of the body in action.

Think about waking up in the morning. Many of us stretch in bed soon after we wake up. When we stretch in bed, our minds are still in a state between asleep and awake, so, most likely, we don’t hear the mind saying “stretch a bit more to the right” or “move the right arm much more to the side.” Actually, in many cases the mind is still in the process of waking up so the stretching happens unconsciously. As we stretch, we activate the flow of blood through our muscles to energize the body. If the intensity of the stretch is too weak, it doesn’t feel like a stretch at all. On the other hand, stretching too hard can result in pulling a muscle. During the morning stretch we move intuitively in the direction or directions that feel right and with the right intensity to energize us and wake us up. In this process we are not concerned with the exact form of the stretch or how it looks from the outside, we just stretch our body until it feels perfect.

The morning stretch is a process that is highly effective. Its effectiveness results from moving slowly and gradually, so the nerve impulses travel back and forth between the muscles and the brain, generating an accurate action-feedback cycle that helps us fine tune the stretch. In other words, the body has enough time to react to the feedback it receives, thereby enabling us to apply the right intensity to the stretch while ensuring the safety of our actions.

In Yoga we try to emulate that “perfect stretch” feeling in every aspect of our Yoga practice. Indeed, numerous Yoga practices aim to remove habits and conditioning so that we can connect with our internal wisdom. Connecting with our internal wisdom helps us to be fully present and to act according to our present moment, needs and circumstances. So, the next time you are practicing Yoga, pay attention to the sensations that emerge and move at a pace that helps you honor the feedback that you receive from your breath, body and mind. By paying attention to the feedback you receive, you can guide your actions so the pace, the intensity, the level of energy and effort are neither too much nor too little, just perfect. This is what listening to the wisdom of the body means. If you wish, you can try to apply these ideas to your practice or to the 5 minute easy Yoga practice.

In a previous post we talked about Yoga as a practice. The reason to practice is simple, to feel more at ease, energized, relaxed and in peace, or as Diane Cesa puts it, to become intimate with yourself.
One of the canonical texts of Yoga, the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, states that reaching the state of Yoga requires both consistent practice and detachment from the results of the practice(I,12). Consistent practice gradually deepens our understanding of ourselves while detachment prevents us from reaching beyond our ability.

5 minutes
However, practicing regularly is challenging for many of us. I like the 3 recommendations that Eugene offers: setting aside Yoga time, taking baby steps and relaxing. A common excuse for not practicing is that we don’t have enough time. So, here is my suggestion, find 5 minutes a day to move mindfully and with breath awareness and see if it makes any difference to how you feel.
This is a 5 minute simple Yoga practice suitable for most people. (If you have not read the disclaimer yet, please do. )
Keep in mind the 10 guidelines to start practicing.

Three Options
You can do this simple practice standing, sitting on a chair or sitting on the floor. Choose one of the three options and see how it works for you and remember to make sure that you do not feel any discomfort. You can also alternate between the three different options, paying attention to any differences in how the practice feels.

Starting Poses Standing – Mountain pose
Stand straight, with your feet firmly planted on the floor, keeping the body weight equally balanced between the front of the feet and the heels. Also, balance the body weight between the left foot and the right foot and allow your pelvis to be level, that is, not tipping forward or back. Soften the shoulders and roll them back and down.
You can read an excellent and thorough set of instructions on mountain pose written by Erich Schiffmann.

Sitting on a chair
Use a firm chair and sit on the forward part of the chair, resting your hands on your thighs. Rest your feet flat on the floor, hip width apart, with the knees directly above the heels. Soften the shoulders and roll them back and down.

Sittting on the floor – Easy pose
Feel the clear contact between the sitting bones and the floor, cross your legs and rest your hands on the thighs.Make the sitting bones heavy and reach up through the crown of the head to lengthen the spine. Soften the shoulders and roll them back and down. If you are not used to sitting on the floor, use a folded blanket under the sitting bones to make the pose more comfortable.

The practice
Read the instructions below at least one time, then print the diagrams to use as a guide.

Centering – 1 min.
Always start your practice by centering. The time in centering is a time where you set the tone for the practice. In other words, let go of whatever is not in the present moment by focusing on the natural rhtyhm of the breath and noticing your level of energy, and paying attention to any sensations that emerge. After one minute, switch from natural breath to deep inhalation (IN) and deep exhalation (EX) without forcing.

Arms Up and down – 4x
IN lifting your arms forward and up. EX floating your arms forward and down.
Repeat 4 times. Change the crossing of the legs.

Side Stretch – 4x
IN lifting your arms to the sides and up. EX stretch to the right side, floating the right arm down while lifting the left arm up and over your head. IN return to center with both arms lifted, and EX stretch to the opposite side.
Repeat 4 times.

Gentle Twist – 4x
IN lift the arms up, on EX turn your upper body gently to the right bringing the arms down with the left hand moving towards the right sitting bone and the right hand moving to the right and back. IN lift the arms up and return to center and twist to the opposite side on EX.
Repeat 4 times.

Forward Fold – 4x If you are sitting on a chair, IN make your spine long by pressing the sitting bones down. EX slide your hands down along the legs and fold forward moving the torso down towards your thighs. Stop when you find the first sign of resistance. IN return the spine to vertical sliding the hands on the thighs.
Repeat 4 times.
The last time you fold forward, melt your torso on the thighs and stay there in a passive and relaxed position for 4 rounds of IN and EX. This should feel very comfortable and restful.

If you are standing or sitting on the floor, come to your hands and knees (table pose) placing your hands directly under your shoulder joints and your knees directly under your hip joints so your thighs and arms are parallel. IN stretching your spine along a straight line that connects the crown of your head to your chin to your breastbone to your tailbone. EX bringing the sitting bones toward the heels, separating the knees if necessary, moving into child’s pose. IN pressing your hands and knees down on the floor returning to table pose.
Repeat 4 times.
The last time you are in child’s pose, stay there in a passive and relaxed position for 4 rounds of IN and EX. This should feel quite comfortable and restful.

Corpse pose – 1 min
Lie on your back with legs straight and heels 2-3 feet apart and your arms resting on the floor, each hand a foot away from the body and the palms facing up.
You can also lie on the floor with your knees bent and the arms to the sides and the palms facing up.
In corpse pose, you let go of any control over breath and body. You can enlist the help of your mind to witness the soft and smooth flow of your breath at a natural, effortless pace allowing yourself to loosen more and more. There is no need to think about anything, just observe your breath quietly.

Finish
After you are done relaxing, roll to one side and take one deep breath, slowly moving towards sitting. Sit comfortably for a couple of breaths and notice the effects of your practice on your breath, body and mind.

Pay attention to the effects
If you do a 5 minute practice every day or several times a week, you might find that each day the practice is different. Some days you might feel more energetic so you may move faster or you might make your muscles more active. Other days you might feel like moving very slowly. Or, perhaps there are days when you feel like staying in the relaxation pose for a long while. The idea is for you to adapt your practice to your needs by adding, substituting and/or modifying the movements suggested here. This is how your practice evolves, by doing it, observing the effects and making it work for you, so it is perfect for what you need.

People often people ask me how to start practicing Yoga. Here are 10 ideas to keep in mind after you decide to start doing Yoga:

1. Find a Yoga class at a convenient time and location.
It is perfectly fine to try different studios and teachers. Sometimes it may take a couple of classes to find a class that is right for you. If the class is out of the way or at an inconvenient time, it might be difficult to find the time to go to class.

2. Take beginning level classes.
The beginning level classes allow you to build a strong foundation. Many studios offer introductory yoga workshops and classes. This is essential, even if you are in good shape, because the beginning classes give you the opportunity to learn the basic vocabulary of Yoga and to become acquainted with sound guiding principles for your practice.

3. Be patient.
Allow your learning to unfold at its own pace. Sometimes we want to see quick results for our efforts. Bringing this mindset to Yoga may prompt you to go beyond your level of ability. Instead, remember that you have the rest of your life to practice Yoga. Work at a pace that is perfect for you.

4. Do not compete with yourself or with others in the class.
In the U.S., we live in a very competitive and achievement-oriented society. To please our ego, sometimes we try to compete with ourselves or with others in class. This competitiveness can result in injuries as we try to do more than we can. Yoga is about self knowledge, so there is no room for competition. Actually, competing with ourselves, or with others, interferes with our capacity to be fully present in the practice.

5. Enjoy being a beginner
People who have practiced yoga before may assume that they know the pose, which can result in a mechanical practice. Being new to Yoga gives you great advantages: First, you have no preconceived notions about the practice, which makes it easy to be open and pay attention to what is happening. Second, you have not developed bad habits. Moreover, in the book Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, David Coulter argues that the quality of our attention within the body determines if our practice is advanced Yoga or beginning Yoga. Thus, focus your attention on the practice and let the practice grow with your ability to focus.

6. Do not go into pain
Yoga is not about pain. As we said before Yoga is about integrating breath, body and mind. Always pay attention to how you feel before performing a pose, as you move into the pose and after the pose. At the first sign of resistance (mental, physical, respiratory), stop, back off a bit, normalize your breath and observe what is happening. As you become more comfortable in the pose you might be able to explore the source of resistance. Whatever you do, do not go into pain.

7. Breathe continuously.
The breath is the main axis for Yoga practice. Because the breath exists only in the present moment, attention to the breath brings your awareness to the practice. Use the breath as a focusing device by checking that you are breathing through your nose with smooth and even breath throughout the whole practice. This might be more challenging that you expect!

8. Take a break whenever you need to.
It is perfectly fine to stop when we need to stop. Remember that being present includes resting when we need to. A good pose to take a break is child’s pose. Besides, we have the rest of our life to practice Yoga!

9. Be responsible.
Awareness is a key component of Yoga practice. Remember that you are responsible for your actions. So, it is up to you to determine if the activities offered by the teacher are appropriate for you. By doing this, you are preparing for developing your personal practice.

10. Notice the effects.
Throughout the day, notice the effects of your Yoga practice, enjoy how you feel. If you feel better after practicing Yoga, use this feeling as a strong motivation to practice again.

I hpe these ideas are helpful to you as you decide to start practicing Yoga.
Next time, we’ll have an example of a simple 5 minute practice.

Thinking about Yoga as a practice, and what that really means, seems like a good starting point to do Yoga.

How is Yoga a practice? At the first level, Yoga is a practice because Yoga is something we do, in other words Yoga is an action or series of actions that we perform. However, performing an action only once or once in a while does not constitute a practice. A practice is something that happens consistently. As we repeat an action or series of actions mindfully and intelligently over time, we, almost inevitably, sharpen the skills involved. As a result, we start developing the necessary knowledge and sensitivity to deepen our understanding of those actions. This is certainly true in Yoga. I feel it is important to emphasize that the practice is not mechanical, if it is mechanical it is not Yoga anymore, because the mind is not involved in the process, in other words, we are not fully present. When we are fully present in the practice, our awareness of the actions of our mind, body and breath moves from the gross toward the subtle. For example, we start noticing the brief pause between inhalation and exhalation, or we start feeling groups of muscles moving instead of feeling only the movement of a limb as a whole. Keep in mind, that at least in my experience, this process is slow and gradual, like most natural processes.

At the second level, Yoga is a practice because it consists of specific practical steps involved in performing its actions. In my opinion, there are three distinct practical steps in Yoga practice:

First, we pay full attention to our initial conditions so we can make intelligent decisions to perform the action that is appropriate to our circumstances and needs.

Second, we focus our attention on perceiving and processing the continuous feedback we receive from breath, body and mind as we engage in the chosen action.

Third, once the action is completed, we observe the results on our breath, body and mind.

These three practical steps operate at the micro level of the practice, for example when we are going to practice child’s pose we first observe the state of body, breath and mind. Then we gradually move into the pose, stopping at the first sign of resistance (physical, mental or related to breathing). According to the feedback we receive, we decide, moment by moment, how long we will stay in the pose. Whenever we are ready, we return to the initial position observing the effects of the pose on breath, body and mind. Following these steps helps us develop awareness of the effects of our actions on body, mind and breath.

These practical steps also operate at the macro level of the practice, so we observe how we feel and then we decide what type of practice(s) to perform, at what level of intensity, and for how long, and then we notice the effect of the practice. This idea is related to the notion that Yoga is a personal activity and thus it should be tailored to our needs.For instance, some days we wake up full of energy and feeling ready to accomplish many tasks. Other days, we might wake up with very little energy. The type of practice we chose for each day should be tailored to how we feel and what we need so that we feel energized, relaxed and balanced after we practice.

At the third level, Yoga is a practice in the sense of a rehearsal. From this perspective, Yoga practice becomes a safe space where we can explore, observe, feel and act as is most appropriate, so that when we find ourselves in a similar situation in our lives we can flow into the most appropriate actions with ease. For instance, some Yoga poses might make us feel terrified. As a result our muscles might tense up, our breath might get short and fast and our minds may fail to think clearly. We can use our breath, inhaling deeply and making our exhalation soft and long, to calm down so we can prepare to practice the pose under appropriate guidance. Perhaps, learning to use the breath to help us calm down can be useful when we find ourselves in a situation that we find terrifying, like speaking in public or going to the dentist. Partly the idea of Yoga practice as a rehearsal comes from Erich Schiffmann, a teacher I admire and find very inspirational. You can see a short video of him talking about The Mat as a practice for Life .

If you already practice Yoga, I hope the idea of Yoga as practice makes sense to you and may help to enrich your way of doing Yoga. And if you are interested in starting to practice, I hope this idea will help you prepare to receive the benefits from doing Yoga. Your comments are welcome.